UP’s Unit for Community Engagement recently delivered three presentations at the Community Engagement Conference hosted by Rhodes University which explored ways to strengthen community-university-society partnerships.

The University of Pretoria’s (UP) Unit for Community Engagement within the Department for Education Innovation, led by Dr Eugene Machimana, Head of Curricular Community Engagement, recently attended the Community Engagement Conference hosted by Rhodes University.

The three-day conference brought together international scholars who unpacked the history of community engagement in higher education, its milestones and impact. Attendees explored ways to strengthen cohesive community-university-society partnerships with the aim of contributing to the knowledge base and best practices when it comes to community engagement in South Africa and abroad.

The UP team consisted of Dr Machimana; Kanye Rampa, an education consultant at the unit; and project coordinator Londiwe Mahlangu.

“The team delivered three presentations during the conference,” Dr Machimana said. “We also had the opportunity to listen to an inspirational keynote address by Dr Imtiaz Sooliman, founder and CEO of Gift of the Givers. Dr Sooliman’s address was titled ‘University, students and academics: Challenging ourselves about our sense of being and responsibility through volunteerism/engaged citizenry.”

Dr Machimana’s presentation was titled ‘Collaborative knowledge creation: The benefit of curricular community engagement in enhancing higher education’s social responsibility’. It examined the community partners’ experiences of participating in a collaborative effort between higher education and rural schools through curricular community.

“The partnership facilitated career guidance and educational support for learners in marginalised communities,” he explained. “It contributed to the professional development of teachers in rural schools, and through training and support, teachers were able to enhance their pedagogical skills and knowledge. This in turn improved the quality of education offered to learners. Gaining insight into the benefits of such partnerships can guide the refinement of practices within higher education.”

The team also delivered a presentation titled ‘Uplifting communities through CCE initiatives’. It illustrated the advancement of community engagement at UP, and examined how curriculum-based community engagement projects were conceptualised, designed and implemented in collaboration with community partners.

“It showcased the progression of community engagement at UP and showed how we moved from isolated initiatives to creating a more integrated approach within curriculum-based community engagement over time,” Dr Machimana said. “We maintain that higher education community engagement initiatives can be a pivotal strategy for lifting individuals out of the poverty cycle by focusing on the development of human capital, given the role of poverty in fostering social inclusion.”

The presentation titled ‘Reimagining curricular community engagement as a core business of the University of Pretoria’ showed attendees how UP’s Unit for Community Engagement supports the University’s faculties and departments through initiatives such as the Moja Gabedi Project and Reliable House.

“Overall, the integration of community engagement into the academic framework of UP demonstrates a commitment to education that serves not only the students but also the well-being of the wider community,” Dr Machimana said. “This mutual partnership between the University and its community partners is instrumental in creating a more inclusive, responsive and socially responsible academic institution.”